Process of electrodeposition of metals.



No. 644,029. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

S. 0. COWPEB-COLES. v PRUGESS 0F ELEGTRODEPOSITIUN 0F METALS.

(Application filed. Aug. 28. 1899'.

3 Sheets-Sheet l IA/AEW (No Model.)

Patented Feb. 20, 1900.

S. -0. COWPER-COLES. PROCESS OF ELECTRODEPOSITION 0F METALS.

(Applieatign filed. Aug. 28, 1899.)

3 Sheets8heet 2 (No ModeL) Tu: wonms PETERS 00., PHcTD-LITNQ. WASHINGTON, n. cy

No. 644,029. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

S. 0. CUWPER-COLES. PROCESS OF ELEGTRODEPOSITION O F METALS.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

3 Sheets$haet 3.

(No Model.)

: 7 firm THE NQRRIS PETERS C FHQTULITHQU WASWNGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PAT NT GFFICE.

SIIERARD O. OOWPER-COLES, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF ELECTROD EPOSITION OF METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 64%,029, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed August 28, 1899. erial No. 728,751. (No specimens.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERARD OSBORN Cot PER-COLES, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Grosvenor Mansions,Victoria street,Westminster, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for the Electrodeposition of Metals, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain, No. 21,974, dated October 19, 1898,) which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to improvements in processes for the electrodeposition of metals.

Hitherto it has been the practice when smooth tough deposits of metal, and of cop per in particular, have been required either in the form of sheets or tubes to burnish them either by means of agates or pads made of sheepskin or other suitable material. The employment of such burnishers necessitates the use of expensive machinery and introduces many mechanical difficulties. I overcome these objections by revolving the cathode or mandrel around its axis during deposition at avery high rate of speed, so as to obtain such friction between the deposited metal and the electrolyte as will cause the deposits made during such rotation to be tough.

and smooth, and it, moreover, causes the hy-. drogen bubbles to be thrown off from the cathode and enables me to employ a much higher current density than has hitherto been possible, the electrical resistance being reduced, and thus I efiect great economy. The invention may be applied to the formation of deposits all of one kind of metal or to the formation of deposits of diflerent kinds of metal--such, for example, as for the manufacture of Sheffield plate by depositing a layer of copper upon a layer of silver.

The accompanying drawings represent apparatus suited to the purposes of my invention.

Figure l is avertical section, and Fig. 2 is a plan, of an apparatus wherein the driving of the cathode is efiected from below. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a vertical section and a plan of a modification for driving the oathode from above.

A is the vat containing the electrolyte.

B is the anode, consisting of a cylinder or 2), into which dip the terminal leads and the conducting-wires 5 attached to the anode;

The vat A has a lining a of lead; but, of course, vats of any suitable construction may be employed.

C is the cathode or mandrel to receive the deposit, it being connected to a cross-head 0, supported upon a vertical shaft D, supported below on ball-bearings d and passing through a bearing ol in the bottom of the vat A, and being surrounded by a tube E, extending from the bottom of the vat to above the level of the electrolyte therein. ries an eye 0 so that the cathode or mandrel can be lifted and lowered by a crane or otherwise.

d is a pulley by which the shaft D is driven from any suitable motor which will give a high speed of rotation, preferably a circumferential speed of about one thousand feet per minute.

The lower end of the cathode or mandrel C is provided with a filling-piece c to rotate around a collar 0 on the tube E.

o is a scalloped flanged piece which acts as'a baffle-plate at the lower part of the oathode and prevents the formation of trees or nodules. The serratededge of the piece 0 acts to taper off the deposit of copper more gradually, and thus further prevent treeing or noduling.

F are the brushes, which bear against the conducting-piece c to convey the current to the negative leads.

In Figs. 3 and 4. I have shown an arrangement for driving the cathode or mandrel C from above, for which purpose it is connected by a universal joint 0 to a shaft D pro- The cross-head a car vided with a driving-pulley d and supported rod ' ode at such a high rate of speed as will cause the hydrogen bubbles to be thrown 0E from the cathode and give such friction between the metal deposits on the cathode and the electrolyte as to yield tough and smooth deposits.

3. In the electrodeposition of metals, the process consisting in passing an electric current from an anode to a cathode through an electrolyte containing the metal to be deposited, and at the same time moving the oathode through the electrolyte at a speed approximating one thousand feet per minute.

4. In the electrodeposition of metals, the process consisting in passing an electric current from an anode to a cathode through an electrolyte containing the metal to be deposited, and at the same time rotating the oathode at a speed approximating one thousand feet per minute.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SHER. O. COWPER-OOLES.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM FREDERICK UPTON, JOHN EDWARD NEWTON. 

